She arrives slowly, from the harbor, growing from a silhouette into her full copper-green form as the ferry crosses from the Battery. The Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognizable structures on Earth and one of the most visited national monuments in the country — and yet standing at her base, looking up at the torch arm extended 305 feet above the water, is still a genuinely arresting experience. The monument encompasses both Liberty Island, where the statue stands, and Ellis Island, site of the immigration station through which some 12 million people entered the United States between 1892 and 1954. Together they form a two-site national monument that tells a story about American identity, aspiration, and the experience of arrival that remains as resonant now as at any point in the monument’s history.
Reaching Liberty Island
The only way to reach Liberty Island or Ellis Island is by ferry, and only the authorized concessioner — Statue Cruises — operates the service. Ferries depart from two points: Battery Park in Lower Manhattan and Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey. Both provide roughly the same experience; Liberty State Park is often slightly less crowded and has more parking. The ferry crossing to Liberty Island takes about 15 minutes from Battery Park. You must purchase ferry tickets in advance through the official Statue of Liberty ticketing site; same-day tickets are rarely available in summer, and crown access tickets (see below) sell out months in advance. The monument grounds, statue exterior, and museum are open daily except Christmas.
Crown Access: The Rarest Ticket
The interior of the statue is accessible to visitors, but not all of it equally. The statue’s pedestal level and its observation deck, accessible by elevator or stairs from the lobby, provide views across the harbor and up at the statue’s base. But the crown — the highest publicly accessible point in the statue, with small windows overlooking the harbor — holds only about a dozen people at a time and requires a special permit. Crown tickets are released on a rolling basis about a year in advance and disappear almost immediately; the NPS advises checking availability frequently and booking the moment slots open. If a crown ticket eludes you, the pedestal observation deck is still excellent, and the Statue of Liberty Museum at the base offers exhibits on the statue’s history, construction, and significance that most people find worth an hour of their time.
Ellis Island: The Immigration Museum
A short ferry ride from Liberty Island brings you to Ellis Island, where the main immigration building has been restored as the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. The museum occupies the Registry Room (the Great Hall) and surrounding spaces where millions of new arrivals were processed, examined, and — for the small fraction who were detained or turned away — held and interrogated. The Registry Room itself, with its vaulted tile ceiling, is one of the most historically charged spaces in the country. The museum’s exhibits trace the full arc of immigration through Ellis Island, from the early wave of Northern European migrants to the massive influx from Southern and Eastern Europe between the 1890s and the 1920s, to the 1924 immigration restrictions that sharply curtailed the station’s role. The American Immigrant Wall of Honor outside the building carries the names of millions of immigrants whose families donated to the restoration.
Planning Your Day: A Practical Sequence
A well-organized visit covers both islands in a single day. Most visitors take the first ferry of the morning, spend 90 minutes to two hours on Liberty Island (including the museum and either the pedestal or the crown), then take the ferry to Ellis Island for another two to three hours in the immigration museum. The last ferry of the day returns from Ellis Island; check the schedule for your departure date. Bring water, comfortable shoes, and sunscreen — Liberty Island offers little shade on hot summer days. The monument is open year-round, but summer (June–August) is the peak season with the longest waits and largest crowds; spring and fall offer significantly more comfortable visits.
What’s Nearby on the Mainland
After returning from the islands, you’re well-positioned to explore Lower Manhattan on foot. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum is a 15-minute walk from Battery Park; the National Museum of the American Indian (a Smithsonian institution located in a stunning Beaux-Arts building) is even closer. The Brooklyn Bridge is about a mile away. If you have more days in New York, our Park Guides section covers other NPS sites in the region, and our Planning Tips section has broad itinerary advice for multi-day visits to the Northeast. The official Statue of Liberty NPS page has current ferry schedules, ticket purchasing, and accessibility information.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance do I need to book crown tickets? Crown tickets are released about a year in advance and sell out quickly. Book as soon as your travel dates are set — months ahead is not too early.
Can you visit both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island on the same day? Yes. A single ferry ticket includes access to both islands, with the ferry traveling between them.
Where do the ferries depart from? Battery Park in Lower Manhattan and Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey. Only authorized Statue Cruises ferries can access the islands.
Is the Statue of Liberty accessible? The grounds and museum are accessible. The pedestal is accessible by elevator. The crown requires a narrow spiral staircase and is not accessible for visitors with mobility limitations.